Her Safe Place

Layla Andrews

“Alexia,” I sobbed. Alexia’s cries rang around the cells. It had been hours and I had doubt my baby girl was hungry. I tried to reach her from my cell, but she was too far.

I leaned against the bars, crying quietly. My hands were curled against the bars. I was unsure how long it had been since Alexia had been brought down. Time seemed to escape my notice down here.

Another cry broke from Alexia as she squirmed on the hard ground. “Daddy will come find us,” I said. I knew she was too little to understand, but I was at a loss of what to do.

I jumped as the doors to the stairs opened. Darcy walked in followed by her father. “I can’t believe you babbled everything to him! If he had any sense, he would’ve figured out Layla is still alive!” My heart jumped. They were talking about Axel.

Darcy let out a mix between a growl and a sigh, “shut up!” She shouted, looking in Alexia’s direction. “Stupid baby!”

Alexia began to cry harder. Darcy let out a sharp sigh and stomped over to Alexia’s cell. She threw the doors open and roughly picked her up. “No!” I said before I could stop myself. “Don’t hurt her!” Darcy stopped and looked at me.

“Why is she crying?” Darcy demanded.

“Shes probably hungry. It’s been a while since she’s been fed.” I said. I watched Darcy’s every move, preparing for the worst. She stomped over to my cell before unlocking the door. I didn’t attempt to move. Darcy roughly laid her on the blanket in the corner.

“Shut her up or I will,” Darcy threatened. She exited the cell and I scrambled to my feet, pushing myself towards my baby.

I picked Alexia up and began to rock her. “It’s okay, mama’s here.” I repeated over and over. I sat on the ground and carefully uncovered one of my breasts. I helped Alexia to latch on and she began to eat. Darcy still watched me from where she stood.

“We still have Miranda. She has to have some pull.” Alpha Daniels said, pulling both Darcy and my attention to him.

“Dad, Axel can do anything. We have nothing to hold him back. Axel also knows that the council isn’t on his side.” Darcy said.

“Yes, but he doesn’t know that Miranda is the betrayer. We can still allow her to talk to Axel.” Alpha Daniels paced to the door then back. “She is our last hope.”

Darcy looked at me. “Not exactly.” She smirked and walked towards the cell I was in. “Who do you think Axel would pick?” She asked, “you or Alexia?” She let out a cackle. Her laugh couldn’t be described as anything else. “I believe we have some pull against Axel.”

“Axel thinks Layla is dead.”

“Yes, he does. If we reveal she is alive, do you think he would be able to choose between his mate and his child?” Darcy asked. “Contact Axel, tell him we will meet him with Alexia.”

—————

King Axel Pierce

“Keep close. They won’t just hand Alexia over to us.” I said as we moved to the coordinates Alpha Daniels had given us. The coordinates lead us to a clearing. Darcy sat on a stone with Alexia. “Darcy,” I said.

“King Axel.” She smirked, setting me on edge. “So glad you could join us.”

The guards moved to surround darcy. “Just give me Alexia.” I said. “This can end quickly.” I took a step forwards.

“Are you sure you want Alexia?” Darcy’s smirk grew even more. “I have someone else you might be interested in.” I followed Darcy’s gaze to the trees surrounding us.

I gasped as my heart stopped as someone stepped from the cover of the trees. My wolf jumped in my head, calling out. ‘Mate! Mate!’

“Layla,” I breathed out. Her eyes connected with mine and I felt the emptiness leave me.

“Such a touching reunion.” Darcy said.

I growled, turning back to face Darcy. “Let them go!” I said.

“Oh I will,” Darcy said. “Whether they are alive or not is your choice.” Darcy pulled a gun and pressed the barrel into Alexia’s forehead. Alexia began to cry and squirm. “Now you must choose. Alexia, or Layla.”

Someone grabbed Layla from behind and pressed the barrel of another gun to her forehead. My heart pounded in my chest as I looked between Alexia and Layla. “Save Alexia!” Layla called out. She struggled against the gun. In result of her struggling, her captor shoved their foot into the back of her knee. I heard a crack as she fell to the ground, breathing through the pain.

“Humans are so fragile.” I paused as someone stepped out from behind Layla. Councilwoman Miranda. I should’ve known. “They are so much weaker compared to us werewolves. A human could never run a kingdom, not in the way an actual werewolf could.” Miranda put a piece of hair behind Layla’s ear. The action could’ve almost been motherly.

“Is it power you want? To be the ruler of werewolves?” I asked. I caught Quinn’s gaze out of the corner of my eye. ‘Surround her.’ I mindlinked him. Quinn’s head bobbed slightly. He slowly moved away from me and walked towards some guards.

Miranda laughed, pulling my attention back to her. “I don’t want to be queen. Werewolves are such strong creatures. I want humans to suffer.” Her gaze turned dark. “We have been driven into hiding because humans couldn’t handle something more powerful than them. We we’re hunted for years before the moon goddess took pity on us and eased us from human minds. We are more powerful yet we cower in darkness and hiding. I want to rise to power above all creatures. I want humans to realize that we are stronger and that they will never win against us.”

I could almost sympathize with Miranda’s reasoning. She had lost her mate to hunters years before she became a council memeber. “Humans are meant to keep us safe.”

Miranda laughed. “How? By killing us?”

“To stop a magical warfare.” Although there had been battle within mythical creatures, they hadn’t been as bad as it could’ve been. Do to all creatures agreeing no human would find out about us, unless they were mates, it had stopped many wars from becoming global. If we had nothing to stop us, the world would become a land of war and suffering. Humans were almost like a peace treaty between all mythical creatures.

Miranda laughed again, “werewolves could rule the world. Mythical and mortal. We cower for peace. Peace that is supposed to be caused by the same people that kill us.”

“Hunters can be prevented. That is why we must stay hidden.” I replied. I took notice of Quinn. He had carefully moved to stand behind Miranda.

“We have outgrown the human race. We are stronger and can take over the world.” Miranda was beyond reasoning. We had to take action if we wanted to stop her. I nodded my head and Quinn lunged for Miranda.

Guards rushed towards Darcy and Layla. I moved towards Alexia. Within moments, Darcy was on the ground and Georgia held Alexia. “Get her out of here,” I commanded. Georgia nodded before rushing off.

I turned around to look for Layla. My heart stopped. She was held by Alpha Daniels. His hand was around her throat and her feet dangled above the ground. She kicked her left leg at alpha Daniels, trying to get him to release her. Her hands tried to pull his hands away from her airway. “Let her go!” I said.

“I can’t go down like this, I won’t.” Alpha Daniels squeezed Layla’s throat tighter.

Layla’s body started to become limp. “Stop!” I shouted. Alpha Daniel’s grip slackened slightly. “What do you want? I’ll give you anything.” I tried to keep the desperation out of my voice. I couldn’t lose Layla again. I had gone through hell thinking she was dead. This time it would be real. There wouldn’t be a second chance.

“I want you to let me leave. I want to be able to leave and have no one follow me.” Daniels said. “I want Darcy and Miranda released.” The guards moved in closer. Suddenly, one jumped out towards Daniels. He tackled daniels to the ground. Layla’s limp form fell to the ground. I rushed to her as Daniels yelled out profanities.

My skin lit up with tingles as I pulled Layla towards me. Her eyes were closed but I could hear her heartbeat. “Take her back to the palace.” I looked up as Vince knelt next to me. “I’ll take care of these guys.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder at Darcy, Daniels and Miranda.

I nodded my thanks before I picked Layla up and rushed towards the palace.